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Persecuting the persecuted

Submitted by Dissident1 on February 25, 2007 - 2:41pm.

It is just so bloody stinking ridiculous!

Atheist like to pretend that they are, by and large, the most persecuted minority group around today. In fact, it is brought up repeatedly as a mantra of sorts, that atheist are the last grouping of people to whom it is considered acceptable to persecute.

This is, of course, wholly untrue.

Thing is, there are other groups who are far more ostracised and persecuted than atheists. In some cases, they are far more numerous, and yet there is no end to the social stigma and heavy weight of political and social persecution towards some of them.

Taking a rational and skeptical stance in speech alone, atheists have attempted to justify the horrors perpetrated on these groups. As though crusading on the Christian bandwagon will make the Christians more accepting of you.

Thus there is a growing movement to suggest that there are reasons behind the traditions and values embodied by the Christian religion that hold valid even outside of the theology. It's like saying that, while you don't believe in god, you believe in god's word.

Fact is, there are many ideas that are held by atheists in the modern world that originate in the nineteenth-century Christian churches. Even in places where Christianity is not dominate, such as India, this still holds true. The Hindu got it from British missionaries and soldiers, by force, and missionaries continue to spread it like a plague around the globe.

Skepticism and rational thought, when applied, could do so much to alleviate the need to persecute mass segments of the populace. Yet, those who hold to ideas of skepticism and rational thought continue to join the ranks of those who do the persecuting.

Atheist like to pretend that they are, by and large, the most persecuted minority group around today. In fact, it is brought up repeatedly as a mantra of sorts, that atheist are the last grouping of people to whom it is considered acceptable to persecute.

This is quite a broad generalization. Provide evidence please.

Dissident1 wrote:

This is, of course, wholly untrue.

Evidence of them being the most persecuted group may be debatable, but the fact that they are persecuted is not.

Dissident1 wrote:

Thing is, there are other groups who are far more ostracised and persecuted than atheists. In some cases, they are far more numerous, and yet there is no end to the social stigma and heavy weight of political and social persecution towards some of them.

Name some.

Dissident1 wrote:

Taking a rational and skeptical stance in speech alone, atheists have attempted to justify the horrors perpetrated on these groups. As though crusading on the Christian bandwagon will make the Christians more accepting of you.

This is looking suspiciously like a strawman.

Dissident1 wrote:

Thus there is a growing movement to suggest that there are reasons behind the traditions and values embodied by the Christian religion that hold valid even outside of the theology. It's like saying that, while you don't believe in god, you believe in god's word.

It is nothing of the kind. Such reasons you speak of are pre-christian beliefs in the first place.

Dissident1 wrote:

Fact is, there are many ideas that are held by atheists in the modern world that originate in the nineteenth-century Christian churches. Even in places where Christianity is not dominate, such as India, this still holds true.

Any examples?

Dissident1 wrote:

The Hindu got it from British missionaries and soldiers, by force, and missionaries continue to spread it like a plague around the globe.

What ideas? You're making huge assertions without any specification at all.

Dissident1 wrote:

Skepticism and rational thought, when applied, could do so much to alleviate the need to persecute mass segments of the populace. Yet, those who hold to ideas of skepticism and rational thought continue to join the ranks of those who do the persecuting.

No atheist on this site is persecuting anyone as far as I can tell. Where is this supposed persecution of atheists against other groups? Atheism is against theism, not theists.

Polygamists and pedophiles are blatantly persecuted by practically everybody, regardless of religious or ideological affiliation. Whilst such persecution may not be heavily fluent on this board specifically, this is my blog. It refers to thoughts and feelings and opinions I have in general. There is a good reason that I rarely post in forums anymore.

However, just recently I heard an atheist broadcaster running on with justifications regarding the need to persecute such minorities. Being part of a persecuted minority would, one would think, offer pause to the idea of endorsing the persecution of other groups. However, politics ruin any chance of rational discussion.

Sexual dissidents of all stripes are more persecuted than atheists are. Perhaps some rational thought, such as that by the late Vern and Bonnie Bullough presented, should be argued on their behalf. This would, of course, cause even greater persecution by the Christianised masses though, and I think that is why atheists tend to shy away from such things.

However, I tend to be a little bit militant, so I aggressively defend even the most outcast minority with everything I have, regardless of cost.

what do you mean when you say pedophiles are persecuted? they are feared; i fear them...and that has much to do with the fact that i do not understand their behavior. but i think that they're outcast in society in as much as their behavior disrupts society, and causes psychological damage to children who have not fully formed an understanding of the world to to deal with the emotional trauma that they're put through. pedophiles are certainly called out in society. their addresses are revealed, they're not allowed to live near schools. but my understanding is that these are defensive measures, as children do not have the capacity or understanding to defend themselves.

On the other hand, I do agree with you that people with alternative, adult, consentual sexual practices are looked down upon pretty much by everybody (except, oddly enough, most of the atheists I know... I wonder why that might be...)

Still, I don't think it counts as persecution the same way that the active political, social, and journalistic portrayal of atheists does. Are people with alternative sexual practices treated as equals with those who prefer their sex in the bedroom in missionary position? No. But, they're also portrayed in a pretty good light on late night cable. Real Sex is always about people with odd sex habits, and it's always about how fun it is to be different. For that matter, in my circle of friends, most of whom are not atheists, alternate lifestyles are joked about, but in a playful way. I just don't see the vitriolic hatred that I experience first hand when atheism becomes an issue.

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

Polygamists and pedophiles are blatantly persecuted by practically everybody, regardless of religious or ideological affiliation.

I have heard of polygamists being persecuted less often than white christians, so that doesn't go anywhere. Pedophiles are criminals. You can't seperate them from other criminals. They choose or are driven to work against society, so society distances itself from them. This is the natural order of things. Atheists, blacks, etc. do not conciously work against society, and cannot be wrapped into the same category.

newmodeltheist wrote:

Sexual dissidents of all stripes are more persecuted than atheists are.